Certain water heater appliances operate such that water with the water heater's tank is maintained at a predetermined temperature. Generally, a user can select the predetermined temperature using a dial or other input on the water heater. Such water heater appliances can continue to hold water located with the water heater's tank at the predetermined temperature until the predetermined temperature is changed or the water heater appliance is deactivated. Accordingly, such water heater appliances can be inefficient. In particular, when a residence housing the water heater appliance is unoccupied, heated water from a water heater appliance is generally unneeded. Thus, despite no demand for heated water, the water heater appliance can continue to operate and heat water located within the water heater's tank. Such operations can waste valuable energy.
To alleviate such energy waste, certain water heater appliances are deactivated when no heated water is needed, e.g., when residents are on vacation. However, deactivating a water heater appliance for an extended period of time has certain drawbacks. In particular, water within the water heater's tank can degrade over time until the water is unsanitary, e.g., certain bacteria can propagate within the water heater's tank when the water heater appliance is deactivated for extended periods of time. Thus, the water heater's tank should be drained prior to reactivating the water heater appliance in order to remove the unsanitary water therein. Such draining can be time consuming and inconvenient.
Accordingly, a method and system for assisting with maintaining sanitary water within a water heater appliance during periods of low heated water demand would be useful.